Because choice of tours, destinations, quality of hotels, airflights, tour prices etc are so many that you might need some trip planning help. Here are answers to some of the most common questions;
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PLEASE VISIT ‘FULL DETAILS’ ON YOUR ITINERARY PAGE TO GET SPECIFIC INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR TOUR
Still have more questions? Please call us at 800 373 0388 or click here to send us email.
BOOKING AIR TRAVEL
Flying to India — a different approach
Worldview Tours offers flexibility to suit your needs. Fly from East Coast or West Coast on a choice of airlines and join up with our tours on arrival in India. You will be met and transferred to your hotel regardless of day or night arrival when you purchase the international air ticket from us. Let us assist you in finding the right airline, schedules and fares for your specific requirements.
From the West Coast: Singapore Airlines should be the first choice. Judged as the ‘Best Airline’ in the world several times, Singapore Airlines is our partner in flying you to India. They fly one of the most modern fleets in the world. ‘On demand’ personal videos on your seat, even in Economy Class with over 200 choices which you can rewind, stop or fast forward. If you use Singapore Airlines you can fly into or out of any of the following cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Trivandrum or Colombo, without paying a premium for an ‘Open Jaw’ fare, thus avoiding unnecessary backtracking. Special add-on fares are available from most cities to their gateways. Convenient (inexpensive) Stopover Packages are available in Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo and Taipei. Flying on Thai Airways, Cathay Pacific, Asiana Airlines, China Air, etc, are also available.
From the East Coast: Airfares across the Atlantic are slightly higher as compared to the trans Pacific fares. From the East Coast attractive airfares are quoted from Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Washington Dulles, Chicago or Miami, flying across the Atlantic using special airfares on British Airways, Lufthansa, Swissair, Northwest/KLM, Virgin Atlantic, Delta Airlines, etc. Depending upon your travel-dates and your preference, choices of convenient schedules are offered. Extra air-ticket from Kathmandu to Delhi (or vice-versa) and a hotel night may be required.
Convenient Non-Stop flights to India
American Airlines from Chicago O’hare and Continental Airlines from Newark airports are now offering daily NON STOP flights to New Delhi avoiding stopovers or layovers in Europe. The actual flying time to Delhi is approximately 14hours 20 minutes as compared to a 7hrs+ flight to Europe and then 8 and a half hour flight to India plus the time spent changing planes. The flight times are convenient to leave late afternoon and arrive Delhi next day evening. Returning flights arrive the US in the morning to allow convenient onward connections.
BOOKING A TRIP
How to sign up
Once you have chosen a trip, call us or mail us a deposit of $500.00 per person. (Extra deposits may be required for Palace on Wheels or some private tours) You will find our Tour Registration form as an insert in this brochure. If you need more information to make your decision, we strongly urge you to call us at (800) 373 0388. Our travel experts will assist you to get you started on a memorable trip to India.
What happens next and before you leave;
After you sign up, a packet of information is mailed to you which includes a preliminary flight schedule, an invoice giving details of all charges and balance due dates, a visa kit (yes, a visa is required for India), temperature chart, recommended shots, clothing suggestions, reading suggestions and insurance information. Two-to-three weeks before departure you will receive your final tour documents consisting of your airline tickets, final itinerary*, hotel list* with addresses, telephone and fax numbers, passenger lists*, passport cases, baggage tags, maps, vouchers, etc, for any stopover or pre-post tour packages (if ordered) information on baggage rules, money changing, etc, and any other relevant information about your trip.
*Extra copies to leave behind with friends and family.
Unlimited assistance before the tour
Our staff has enormous first-hand knowledge about your destination, hotels and services. You may have many questions about India and your trip. Whether your questions are about how much money to take, about dress code in a temple, or if you want suggestions on what to take for school children — we want you to know that we are available to answer your questions to guarantee the service you expect of us.
ESCORTED GROUP TOURS
For the first timers to India, one of the best way to enjoy your first trip is to let some experienced India expert tour escort guide you in a small Escorted tour. Not only does the Tour Escort takes care of all logistics, giving you more time to just enjoy your tour, he/she has many local contacts in each city to get more done! They also speak several different Indian languages to provide you with perspectives which are hard to match.
Guaranteed departures
We reject the horrors of regimentation and mass-produced package tours. Since we offer only a few top quality tours, most tours are guaranteed to operate with two or more passengers. If Worldview cancels a tour you will either be offerred another tour of your choice or a full refund.
OUR TOUR ESCORTS
Our tour escorts are friendly and knowledgeable. They are the best in the industry and we are very proud of them. They are enthusiastic professionals selected not only for their knowledge of the destinations but also for their experience in the travel business and the care they provide to every client. They each have worked with Worldview Tours for many years.
Sanjay Sharma
Born and raised in Agra, the city of the Taj Mahal, Sanjay is a favorite and one of the best tour escorts in the country. Besides escorting and guiding American groups for the last 11 years, Sanjay’s specialization has been Indian medieval history, in particular the Mughal period, the time when most of India’s grand buildings were constructed, including the Taj Mahal. With an exceptional ability to handle and solve unexpected problems, Sanjay’s polite and friendly style has won him many accolades. He has many stories and experiences to share about India, which travelers find very enriching.
Sandhya Harendra
Sandhya is a charming young lady from Bangalore who has been escorting and guiding tour groups of all different nationalities since 1980. She takes great pride in her South Indian heritage and enjoys sharing her immense knowledge of India. With a good command of English, Sandhya also speaks several Indian languages that help her in guiding her groups through different parts of southern India. A stickler for perfection and always insisting on the best, Sandhya is very conscientious and has great leadership qualities. Her concern for each tour member and their needs goes beyond the call of duty. During her spare time she runs a small embroidery business specializing in women’s clothing.
Nitin Sambhi
Nitin Sambhi was born and raised in New Delhi, India. This strapping young man speaks three Indian languages, which help him guide his groups through different parts of India. His group members have repeatedly mentioned that he is a very caring person and is focused on client satisfaction. With his knowledge of the country, his friends in the Indian travel industry, combined with his good humor, enthusiasm and friendliness he offers a class of service that is very valuable for any India traveler. Nitin is currently based in New Delhi.
Rajiv Gulati
Rajiv Gulati is a Graduate with major in History from University of Delhi. His specialty includes Art Appreciation, Indian Culture and Mughal Architecture. He speaks three Indian languages and has led tours for the Metropolitan Museum, American Museum of Natural History, Canadian Parliamentarian Delegation and Philadelphia Zoo. His group members have repeatedly mentioned that he is a most caring person who is focused on client.
PRIVATE JOURNEYS
Individual travel is not very expensive in India. We have over 27 years of experience in arranging ‘Tailor-Made’ individual travel. Tours can be planned to fit your interests, travel dates and budgets. These tours are based upon exclusive use of your own private vehicle throughout and you are not joining other people. Just let us know how many people in your party, your interests, when you want to go, how many days, category of hotels you would like to stay in and your preference of air routing to India (over the Pacific or the Atlantic). In less than 48 hours we will advise you a suggested itinerary and prices. An outline itinerary and estimated costs are provided at no charge. For any subsequent changes/modifications resulting in re-pricing there is a minimum $100.00 per person non-refundable deposit which is applied to your tour invoice.
All logistics are arranged in advance as per the agreed itinerary. At each airport you are greeted and hosted by our local representatives/guides. Transfers and tour services are by private chauffeur-driven cars with local guides. Hotels, domestic flights, train travel and any other related services are confirmed in advance for a flawless tour.
Any tour in this brochure can be customized for a private journey. There are many ways to combine, shorten, modify or extend these programs. Please call us at (800) 373 0388 our experts are available to help you plan the trip you want.
SELECTING HOTELS
Choices of hotels in India are growing every year as more and more hotels and other tourist infrastructure is built. Our tours include a choice of at least two category hotels Luxury-premier or Deluxe, superior first-class everywhere. You also have a choice to pick and mix the hotels between the two categories. Separate transportation is arranged so that the group does not waste time picking passengers from different hotels. Specific hotels or choice of hotels are listed for each tour. Many of these are palaces of erstwhile maharajas now operating as hotels such as, The Rambagh Palace, the romantic Lake Palace Hotel and nestled in the Aravali hills, the Devi Garh Fort Palace, etc. On many tours an overnight stay is arranged in a country home/castle/desert camp such as Rohet Garh or Osian Camel camp amidst rural surroundings. Whether in a deluxe hotel in a cosmopolitan city or in a ‘Best of the Town’ hotel in a small town, you can feel confident that at the end of the day you will be in a hotel with a private bath or shower and the standards of comfort you expect. Deluxe/best available tents are used in Pushkar, Osian, Manvar and on some Himalayan Jeep Safaris. We reserve the right to substitute hotels listed on tour pages with similar category hotels. In your tour documents you will receive a list of hotel names, addresses, telephone numbers etc.
Great dining experience begins with Freedom of Choice. You may dine early or with the group or on your own. A smorgasbord of traditional local fare and continental favorites are available for purchase in most hotels. On your tour full American breakfast is included daily with juice, fruit, breads, eggs and local items. On our escorted tours we have arranged lunches and dinners that are three-course or buffet meals. Some days a multi choice local favorite meal may be offered. All escorted group tours include a gala welcome ‘get-acquainted’ and farewell dinners. In some remote hotels á la carte dining may not be available. Mumbai, Delhi, Kathmandu and Chennai offer fine and safe dining in city restaurants; in all other cities it is perhaps best to eat in hotels.
HOTEL AND SUITE UPGRADES Live like a prince, dine under crystal chandeliers, recline on chairs inlaid with ivory, walk on ancient Persian rugs. India’s Maharajas and the royalty lived a life of opulence until they lost their titles to democracy. In the early 1900s, there were over 500 independent principalities in India. Many of their royal residences are now ‘Heritage Hotels’. As hotels, they offer luxury that no modern imitation can match. Many of the historic suites in these palace hotels offer opulence once enjoyed by the Maharajas. Room upgrades to these historic suites are available in some of the finest palace hotels in India, The Lake Palace Hotel, Udaipur, The Rambagh Palace, Jaipur, etc. Ask for more information on hotel and suite upgrades.
THE OBEROI – ‘LUXURY REDEFINED’ PREMIER HOTEL EXPERIENCE
Idyllic retreats in enchanting settings or elegant hotels in major cities, The Oberoi Hotels & Resorts in India are the epitome of luxury and hospitality. Exquisite interiors, impeccable service, fine cuisine and contemporary technology come together to create an experience that is both grand and intimate. Understated style and muted luxury are perhaps the reason why Oberoi hotels are an automatic choice for visiting heads of state and rich industrialists of the world. Readers of Conde’ Naste and Travel & Leisure magazines have chosen the Oberoi hotels repeatedly as their top choice hotels in India. Some of the noted hotels in this category are The Oberoi Amarvilas, located only 2000feet from the Taj Mahal, The Oberoi VanyaVilas in the Ranthambore National Park, The Oberoi Rajvilas – voted as the 3rd most beautiful hotel in the world by Conde’ Naste and The Oberoi Udaivilas in the romantic city of Udaipur. Please see the Oberoi Premier Hotel Experience offered on selected tours.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Brochures from several companies specializing in travel insurance are available; just call us we will gladly mail them to you. Generally, a comprehensive plan including trip cancellation, medical and emergency medical evacuation, etc, costs 5 to 6 per cent of the total tour price. Some insurance packages offer a ‘Pre existing medical conditions waiver’ if the insurance is bought within seven days of making your tour deposits. Whether on a group tour or an individual tour, considering the heavy cancellation penalties, it is strongly recommended that you purchase travel insurance.
TOUR PRICES/AVAILABILITY
For tour prices and available please click on ‘Full Details’ and/or Check availability on your specific tour pages. For tour prices on our Private Journeys please call us at 800 373 0388 or email us at info@worldviewtours.com
SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENTS
Room shares are generally available on most of our tours. Rather than assigning roommates we will give you each other’s phone numbers (with your permission of course) from our room share list. Both persons then get an opportunity to decide. If a room share cannot be found, we will offer you a choice of paying single supplement or taking another tour or a full refund.
Partial tours/pre-post tour extensions
If the tour you have chosen does not fit with your requirements and if the tour is not already full, we accept partial tour bookings. We will be happy to send you a revised itinerary/price for the portion of the tour you wish to take. Many passengers request pre and-post tour extensions, please see (page ---).
REQUEST BROCHURES
Please fill out a Request Brochures or call us at 800 373 0388 or email us at info@worldviewtours.com
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